Cemitas Poblanas Elviritas: 99 Essential Restaurants 2013

These days, it's not hard to find a decent cemita — you'll find trucks from East Los Angeles to Venice assembling the Puebla specialty almost as fast as Ricky can fry a fish taco. But the version that still reigns supreme is the one at Cemitas Poblanas Elviritas, a small, worn place across the street from a cemetery filled with enough early–20th century L.A. big shots to keep Sarah Vowell happily occupied for days. The most popular item — and rightfully so — is the cemita de Milanesa, a toasted, seeded roll the size of a Pee Wee Softball mitt and crammed with stringy quesillo, avocado, onions, jalapeño or chipotle chilies and thin slices of beef, breaded and fried. As packed as it is, the cemita holds together like a well-constructed burrito. It's as deeply satisfying as any great sandwich should be. 3010 E. First St., Boyle Heights; (323) 881-0428. Daily, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. $2.50-$6.50. No alcohol.